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Supernova SN2013hc - October 30, 2013

Images and discovery details of Supernova SN2013hc in PGC 61330(imaged on the morning of October 30, 2013 and discovered in the evening of October 30, 2013)Discovery made by G. Nathan Gray (age 10!) and Dave Lane from Abbey Ridge Observatory

Contacts

Dave Lane - dave at davelane dot ca

Paul Gray - snpgray at gmail dot com (father of Nathan)

Discovery Notes

Nathan Gray and I are pleased to report that we have discovered a possible supernova (mag ~18) in PGC 61330 (a magnitude 15.9 galaxy in the constellation of Draco).

It was imaged in the early morning hours of October 30, 2013 and discovered the next evening by G. Nathan Gray (age 10 of Greenwood, NS). The discovery is shared with Dave Lane who owns and operates the Abbey Ridge Observatory.

The skies were clear, so the dome was opened up and an image taken that confirmed that the new star was still there (ie. it was not an image artifact or an asteroid (which would have moved). After a few more checks, it was reported to the IAU's Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams late in the evening of October 30.

It was verified later the same night by another astronomer - the Maine-based amateur astronomer Doug Rich. The next step, before it is given an official designation, is to use spectrographic observations done by a very large telescope to confirm that it is a supernova and not something else (very unlikely) and to determine its type. This is usualy done within a few days.

This is the fourth discovery from the Abbey Ridge Observatory, my fifth, and Nathan's first! So far was we know, Nathan's discovery at age 10 and a few days makes him the youngest supernova discoverer, by only 33 days before his sister Kathryn discovery of SN2010lt.

Extract from IAU Electronic Telegram # 3747

Coming soon, we hope!

We submitted to IAU:

G. Nathan Gray (age 10) of Greenwood, NS, Canada and D. J. Lane of Stillwater Lake, NS, Canada report their discovery of an apparent supernova (mag about 18.0) on an unfiltered image taken with a 0.36-m f/5.5 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope+CCD taken on 2013 Oct 30.1791 UT. Its presence was confirmed by the discoverers at 2013 Oct 31.001 UT and by Doug Rich, Hampden, ME, USA at 2013 Oct 31.095 UT. The apparent SN is located at R.A.= 18h3m24s.59, Decl = +70o13'30.6" (equinox 2000.0), which is about 3" east and 7" north of the nucleus of PGC 61330. Nothing is visible at this location on images taken many occasions in the past two years (all limiting mag fainter than 18). Nothing is present on Digitized Palomar Sky Survey images.